Chapter 49: The Rice is Cooked Spring is coming, the grass and trees are lush, already...
Spring is approaching, the grass and trees are lush and green, and the heat of summer is already here.
The Shangsi Festival is coming soon. It is a good time for unmarried men and women to go out for an outing and enjoy the flowers, as well as people. As for Yunyang's marriage, Old Madam Xue has been making preparations in an orderly manner. Before Shangsi Festival, she invited the young master of the Zhang family to have dinner at the Xue Mansion.
"When Yunyang gets married, how much dowry will you, her brother-in-law, prepare?" The old lady took a sip of tea, frowned, and sighed. "This girl is pitiful. She has no parents, and no one will prepare a dowry for her. We must not let her suffer any loss and let her husband's family look down on her."
"Don't worry, Grandma. I know what I'm doing and will not let Yunyang down." Xue Yu's fingers stroked the edge of the teacup. "Grandma, this tea is different today."
Madam Xue's eyes lit up, and a smile finally appeared on her face. She clapped his hand in fear, "You're just too picky. You tasted it just after I changed the tea? Aren't the Zhang family coming to visit today? I took out the Dragon Ball Shengxue... and wanted to give it a try?"
"Dragon Balls are better than snow? Grandmother really treats the Zhang family well." Xue Yu suddenly smiled, lowering his eyes to look at the silver thread water buds melting in the tea soup. "The emperor's reward is only three ounces, and Grandmother usually doesn't even want to drink it."
"Isn't it all for your wife's sister?" Old Madam Xue said. With the help of her maid, she stood up and looked out the door. "Looking at the time, the Zhang family should be arriving soon, right?"
"Grandma, please take a good rest. I will go and see you now." Xue Yu said.
Lush greenery and flowers slowly passed by. Xue Yu was strolling in the courtyard when he heard footsteps in front of him. He looked up and saw Yun Yang walking towards him from the direction of Jinxiang Pavilion. She was wearing a peony skirt embroidered with cinnabar beads. She looked bright, gentle and extremely lively.
Youth is beautiful and even more charming than the vibrant spring scenery.
The dress was intricately embroidered, and even the collar and cuffs were inlaid with lustrous pearls. It was rather stuffy on this scorching spring day. Yun Yang rolled up her sleeves and gently tugged at her collar, her face flushed with heat.
Yun Yang was delighted when she saw Xue Yu. She walked over quickly, lifted her skirt and twirled around in front of him, "Brother-in-law, take a look. Does this look good?"
He looked at the sweat on her forehead and said with a smile, "Is it that hot? You'd better tie your collar. When Master Zhang comes soon, you might get laughed at."
Yun Yang didn't care and pouted, "Why are you so scared in front of your brother-in-law? This dress is thick and heavy. I'll just cool down for a while and tie it up later."
Xue Yu had a cold smile on her face, not knowing whether to be happy or sad. She didn't even consider him as a man.
"It's still early, what are you doing?" Xue Yu asked.
"I got up early in the morning to prepare. After I got dressed, I was afraid that my clothes would get wrinkled if I sat for too long, so I could only walk back and forth in this yard and wait for Master Zhang." Yun Yang said.
There is a guqin on the corner pavilion beside Qinghu Lake.
Xue Yu pointed at the corner pavilion and smiled gently, "Yangyang asked me before if I could play the piano. Do you want to listen?"
"Yes," Yun Yang said excitedly, "I've never heard a man play the piano before."
Back in Youzhou, my father was a rough man who knew how to play the piano, my mother didn't understand music, and my relatives, brothers and sisters, were not good at pretending to be cultured.
Walking to the corner pavilion, Xue Yu sat down, his jade-like fingers caressing the strings of the zither, and the sound of the zither overflowed like water...
The girl was mesmerized by the sound, for the sound of the piano was different from any stringed instrument or orchestra she had heard before. It sounded like weeping, complaining and whispering, and even more moving when it reached its climax. The ending was lonely, but the aftertaste lingered in her ears for three days.
She closed her eyes, carefully feeling the unspeakable throbbing in her heart. When she opened her eyes again, her black and white eyes were shining brightly, and she exclaimed in admiration: "Brother-in-law plays the piano so well, and the way he plays the piano is also so beautiful..."
"Want to learn?" He smiled as gentle as jade.
"Can I learn it?" Yun Yang asked.
Xue Yu took her to sit in front of the zither table, lowered his eyes, and leaned over to help her pluck the strings. "Like this, tighten your fingers..."
His chin rested on her temples. Yun Yang held her breath and concentrated, unable to hear what he was saying...
After a while, Xue Yu stopped and his voice suddenly became cold. "Look at me."
Yun Yang turned her head to look at him; his handsome face looked stern amidst the flourishing flowers.
Xue Yu stroked the girl's cheek with his fingers and said lightly, "You are not obedient."
"...Brother-in-law taught me well. It's me who is stupid and just can't learn." Yun Yang turned his face away, lowered his head and muttered, "Brother-in-law, please don't teach me. It's a waste of time."
He curled his lips into a smile and said slowly, "Stupid? I'm afraid your mind has flown to that Young Master Zhang whom I've never met, and you have no intention of learning the art of playing the zither from me."
Yun Yang was anxious. "I didn't think about that Master Zhang at all. I haven't even met him, so what is there to think about?"
Xue Yu was delighted, but he didn't show it on his face. He just said, "Really?"
"Seriously!" Yun Yang said.
"Smile." Xue Yu suddenly said, "Smile at me, like you smile at the Crown Prince and Song Fanghe."
Yun Yang looked at him in confusion, a little bewildered, but seeing that his tone had returned to gentleness, he must be no longer angry, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curved up.
Xue Yu said, "Don't smile like that when you see Zhang Qian later."
"Ah?" Yun Yang was puzzled.
"Girls, you have to be more respectful so that men will cherish you." Xue Yu said gently.
A troupe of performers had been invited to the front yard. At this moment, a gentle, melodious tune could be heard, and the noise became louder. Yun Yang bowed to Xue Yu and said, "I understand what my brother-in-law taught me. I'll go back to Jinxiang Pavilion and wait."
After saying that, he turned around and walked towards Qinghu Lake with Fangyue.
"Fangyue, stay here and help me get the square inkstone." Xue Yu said behind Yun Yang.
Yun Yang didn't think much about it and kept Fang Yue.
Old Madam Xue entertained Madam Zhang and the young master with a grand banquet, and the entire Xue Mansion became bustling with activity. As the sun set, there was no quiet place, and she also became nervous.
It seemed that regardless of whether she met Mr. Zhang or not, regardless of whether she liked him or not, the marriage had to be arranged.
Fang felt something strange in his heart, a feeling that he couldn't describe.
Yun Yang walked along the Qinghu Lake and met Xue Jin in front of the Moon Cave Gate. Behind Xue Jin was Chu Qin, whom he had not seen for a long time.
Chu Qin was dressed in a moon-white shirt, his hair tied up with a jade crown. His skin had darkened a little, but the elegant demeanor in his eyes and eyebrows remained the same. When he saw Yun Yang, he came forward and said, "Sister Yun Yang, long time no see."
"Hello, Lord Chu." Yun Yang said with a smile, "Is Lord Chu also one of the guests at today's banquet?"
Chu Qin was stunned and said sullenly, "Sister is quite straightforward. I'm here, but you don't welcome me?"
Although his thoughts were not entirely on her, he was also mostly determined on her. However, there seemed to be an unbridgeable gap between her and him, and he didn't know why.
Xue Jin said sarcastically, "You've only been at the Xue family for a short time, but you already act like the owner. Brother Chu Qin came earlier than you."
A breeze blew, and a refreshing coolness spread across the long water corridor. The heat in Yun Yang's heart just faded away, and she had no intention of arguing with Xue Jin. After all, the conflict between them was not just one or two days, and she had no intention of resolving it. She didn't rely on Xue Jin for a living, nor did she want to live in the Xue Mansion for the rest of her life.
Just as she was about to leave, she felt a weight on her arm. Looking up, Yun Yang saw Xue Jin looking at the Hetian jade headpiece given to her by the Fourth Madam on her black hair. He said sarcastically, "You, what you're wearing on your head... where did you get it? Compared to my set, how come the water content is better than mine... and the carving is even better? But mine is a unique piece. It was made from the jade that my eldest brother brought back from Hetian, which was then polished and cut, and then carved by a famous artist. It took more than half a year to get it to me. It's one of a kind. How could you have one too..."
Yun Yang looked at her, smiling innocently and naively, and raised his hand to touch the hairpin. "This headpiece was given to me by someone. They said that any perfume shop can have it, so I can wear it without worry. Sister Jin, I'm afraid you've been cheated, haven't you?"
Xue Jin's face turned pale and blue, and he was dumbfounded.
Chu Qin suppressed his laughter and patted Xue Jin's shoulder. "Don't bicker as soon as you meet. It's no big deal. I'll buy you another set."
Xue Jin looked at Yun Yang's receding figure and said angrily, "I just don't believe she can't see how good that headgear is."
Yun Yang muttered to herself as she walked. She really hadn't noticed what was different about this headdress. Now that she thought about it, the jade felt soft to the touch and was transparent. It was obvious that it was not an ordinary thing. It was just that she was short-sighted and had seen too many yellow and white things, so she didn't notice the difference of this thing.
The Fourth Madam must have been being modest when she gave her this gift. Yun Yang thought that she should go and thank the Fourth Madam.
Meanwhile, Xue Jin said to Chu Qin quietly, "I don't care what Brother Chu Qin likes about her. If he likes her, why not fight for her? You should marry her as soon as possible, so she doesn't cause chaos in the Xue Mansion."
"Why wouldn't I fight for it? Then what am I doing here tonight?" Chu Qin walked with his hands behind his back, the smile he usually wore in officialdom and the world of fame and fortune fading from his face. "I don't know why your elder brother won't give Yun Yang to me. Speaking of romantic, which man isn't? If they aren't romantic, they're just pretending. We're all the same at heart."
Xue Jin said, "My grandmother attaches great importance to the marriage between the Zhang family and Yun Yang, but I am worried that the young master of the Zhang family does not like Yun Yang and will find an excuse to deny the marriage. If that were not the case, my grandmother would not have to make such a big fuss, as if she was forcing the marriage today."
The warm wind was like a weaving net, gently brushing across the young man's handsome eyebrows. His peach blossom eyes, which always wore a gentle smile when they saw people, now had a dull look in them.
Chu Qin nodded and said, "The Zhang family is full of loyal and brave people. Although they are not as prosperous as the previous dynasty, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. Young Master Zhang has the initiative in his own marriage. Such a family does not seek a wife to bring honor to the family, but only wants someone they like. This is what I am most worried about..."
"So, Brother Chu Qin, do you want me to help you?" Xue Jin looked strange, leaning forward and whispering something in the young man's ear, "...it's better to make it a done deal. In front of everyone today, Yun Yang has to marry even if she doesn't want to."
Ever since Yun Yang entered the mansion, she has hated her very much.
Why did Yunyang deserve the love and care of her grandmother and steal the attention of her elder brother?
Why should she be allowed to marry into the Zhang family?
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Author's words: Lu Jie will be online in the next chapter
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